How to Play Online Blackjack

On 05.14.10, In Blackjack Strategy, Online Blackjack, By admin

The objective of online blackjack is to beat the dealer without your card total going over 21. Going over 21 is called busting and means that you lose that round. If your total stays below 21 you have a shot at beating the dealer. But the dealer must either have card total less than yours or bust himself.

The game begins with you placing your bet buy clicking on the appropriate betting options. Once you have placed your bet, click the “Deal” button. Two cards will come sliding onto the screen face up; these are your cards. Two more cards, one face up and one face down, will be dealt to the dealer. If the two cards you have total 21 by themselves you have been dealt a natural blackjack, and you win the maximum payout, usually 3:2. The only time a natural blackjack does not win is when the dealer also has a natural blackjack. In that case there is what is called a push, and your bet is returned to you.  Once your hand has been played and the dealer’s hand has been played the round is over. If you wish to play again, start over with making another bet.

There are some terms that you will want to be familiar with when learning how to play online blackjack:

Stand: Standing means that you do not want anymore cards dealt to you. All you have to do is click the “Stand” button, and your card total will stand against whatever the dealer winds up with.

Hit: To hit is to be dealt more cards in hopes of raising your card total, but you will want to be careful that you do not go over 21. To hit all that is necessary to click on the “Hit” button until you have a card total that you feel is high enough to beat the dealer.

Usually the next few options are available in most online blackjack games.

Split: If you are dealt two cards with the same face value each they are a pair. And if the option is available you can split them into two separate hands. If splitting is available a “Split” button appears and you can click it if you wish to split your pair; when splitting, another bet equivalent to your original bet will be made.  You will be allowed to play each hand out just like you would if you only had one hand.

Double Down: This means to double your original bet; should you win that round you would win a 3:2 payout based on the combined bet. But when doubling down, you only receive one more card and then you have to stand.

Insurance: This option is only available if the dealer’s up card is an ace. Because an ace is necessary to have a blackjack, the online casino will offer you insurance. The purpose of insurance is that you will not lose your bet if the dealer does have blackjack.

An advantage to knowing how to play blackjack online is that you alone are playing against the dealer so there are no distractions on the casino’s side of the game. And you have as long as you would like to play out your hand. You can also have a basic strategy chart pulled up in another window that you can use to play with.

 
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About Single Deck Blackjack Games

On 07.23.10, In Blackjack Rules, Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

While playing blackjack online is fun—not to mention convenient—there will be times when novice blackjack players will find themselves in a brick and mortar casino. Naturally they would want to play blackjack.

Now these are good students of blackjack. They know that the more decks there are in play at a table the more the blackjack odds tip towards the dealer. Naturally these students of blackjack will seek out the single deck games that have made a comeback in brick and mortar casinos.

But they are back with a twist.

The twist is the payout. In many—not all but many—of the single deck blackjack games to be found in casinos do not offer the usual 3-2 payout. Instead many single deck blackjack games offer a 6-5 payout.

Unfortunately many novice blackjack players do not quite understand what a 6-5 payout does to their odds.

Not only does a 6-5 payout meant that the player is receiving less for his blackjack in terms of the payout, a 6-5 payout also has a negative impact on a player’s blackjack odds.

Blackjack odds are based on your opportunity to make a profit from the game. When a house rule makes it harder for the dealer to win, it increases the player’s blackjack odds because that rule decreases the dealer’s chances of winning, which conversely increases the player’s.

In the case of the 6-5 payout, players lose some of their blackjack odds simply because they are receiving less money for a natural blackjack. Less money received in a payout means that the opportunity to profit is less, hence lowering the blackjack odds of the player.

When pulling up a chair to a 6-5 blackjack game a player is lowering their blackjack odds by 1.39%. Even playing with basic strategy cannot overcome this reduction in odds because of the payout, not because of house rules or player choices in plays.

Because of the reduction of odds—not to mention the lost money—it is best to avoid playing at 6-5 payout tables. If all of the single deck games are 6-5 payouts then play at the blackjack table with the least amount of decks.

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How Payouts Effect Your Blackjack Odds

On 07.16.10, In Blackjack Rules, By Vivi

The different kinds of payouts offered in both online blackjack and regular casino blackjack do not really seem to impact the player’s opinion of the game. As long as they are receiving a payout for their natural blackjacks they are happy.

If a player has done some research on blackjack payouts they know not to play in a game that offers a 6-5 payout. But they see it explained that they are receiving less money and that is the reason not to play in 6-5 payout games.

But there is another reason for avoiding blackjack games that do not offer players a 3-2 payout for their blackjacks: different payouts can actually reduce your blackjack odds.

Not only do you receive less money in a 6-5 payout game, it also reduces your odds by 1.89%. Just because of the change in payout alone.

For players who are fans of blackjack variations, such as games like Super 21, those games also have different blackjack payouts. Most of them, because of the potential—although it is not a great potential—to win a side bet, the payout for a natural blackjack is reduced. In most blackjack variations the payout is only 1-1, or even money, for a blackjack. A 1-1 payout reduces your odds by 2.27%.

A 1-1 payout actually has the worst impact on your blackjack odds of all of the different type of variations.

The reason a lower payout hurts your blackjack odds is because it reduces your opportunity to make money off of the game. Even though you are receiving something for your natural blackjack, it is not what you would traditionally make—that is why it reduces your odds.

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Chances of Winning Online Blackjack

On 07.10.10, In Blackjack Strategy, Online Blackjack, By Vivi

While online blackjack is one of the easiest online casino games to learn to play, it offers players one of the easiest blackjack strategies: basic strategy. Thanks to basic strategy, players of online blackjack can bring the house edge down to around 0.5% from 2% to 5%. And that 0.5% is one of the best odds out there for those who play online casino games.

What does that 0.5% translate to in chances of winning a round of online blackjack? It means that blackjack players can expect to win around 54% of the rounds of online blackjack. This is an approximation. This does not mean that you will win exactly 54 rounds of blackjack out of every 100, but it does give you an idea of what sort of winning odds you have in online blackjack.

But notice that even with basic strategy, the house still has something of a house edge over the blackjack player. And that is why a player of online blackjack can only expect to win around 54% of the games they play, rather than an even 50 / 50 of games.

But considering that other online casino games carry odds of around 8% to 12% (online slots games) or 5.26% (American Roulette), that 0.5% that online blackjack with basic strategy is really not too bad at all. It certainly explains why online blackjack is one of the most popular online casino games out there.

And because the house edge can be dropped to around 0.5%, giving players that approximate 54% of wins, is a very good reason for using basic strategy when playing online blackjack.

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Busting Chances of Stiff Hands

On 07.02.10, In Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

Stiff hands are some of the most morale dropping hands in blackjack. As soon as you see one of those hard hands you already begin thinking that you have lost. Unfortunately there really is not a lot that a player can do in these blackjack situations.

When it comes to blackjack strategy and stiff hands the best course of action to take is to follow basic strategy and make the play that has the best statistical chances. Stiff hands require defensive playing, which in most cases with these hands is to stand.

However some of these instances the best play to make is to hit, as odd as that may sound. The reason for hitting is to take your chance of catching a low card. Hitting happens when the dealer has the least chances of busting so as a player you hit since you are damned if you do and you are damned if you do not. A friend of mine put it this way: “If I am facing a loss anyway it is not going to hurt me to try hitting.”

But with hitting comes the chance of busting. The chances of stiff hands busting looks like this:

Hard 16: 61%
Hard 15: 59%
Hard 14: 56%
Hard 13: 52%
Hard 12: 48%

The reason your chances of busting increase is because the greater the hand total, the less amount of cards there are that will not bust your hand.

With a hard 16 there are only four cards in blackjack that will not bust your hand. A hard 15 has five cards that will not bust it; a hard 14 has six cards; a hard 13 has seven; and a hard 12 has eight it could take.

Keep the chances in mind when you decide to hit a stiff hand. And make sure to follow basic strategy when playing blackjack—remember it gives you the best statistical play for your hand, even if you might think it is not the best move. Stick with it and you will lose less over time.

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Do Not Insure You Blackjack

On 06.25.10, In Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

In blackjack you will sometimes hear of players who insist on insuring their blackjack against a dealer’s Ace. They perceive it as guaranteeing that they will receive a payout, that in that they are saving money and their blackjack odds.

However, they will lose money and take a hit to their blackjack odds in the long run. And it is all in the math.

Part of what helps a player’s basic blackjack odds is that they receive a 3-2 payout when they are dealt a natural blackjack, while the dealer does not receive a payout when he is dealt a natural blackjack. Blackjack odds are based on a player’s opportunities to make money. The better the opportunity the more it improves your blackjack odds.

This is why receiving a 3-2 payout is so important. It is always why players should avoid blackjack games and variations that do not offer a 3-2 payout.

When you take insurance on your blackjack against a dealer’s Ace you are giving up your chance of receiving that 3-2 payout for the guaranteed even money. Players who believe in taking that even money just to make sure they are getting money feel that if they are receiving some money so they must be doing good. After all, receiving money is good right?

Actually in this case it is wrong. Taking even money, a 1-1 payout, for a natural blackjack can have a big negative impact on your blackjack odds. How big? A 1-1 payout for a blackjack hits your odds for 2.27%.

So you have a choice. You can take the even money and the 2.27% hit to your blackjack odds, or you can decline insurance and take the chance at the 3-2 payout and keep a hold of your odds.

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What to do with a Hard 12

On 06.18.10, In Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

Of the hard hands, the stiff hands are the most difficult to play in blackjack because it feels like you are already going to lose before you have even really started the round. In such instances the best you can do is minimalize your potential losses. In terms of blackjack strategy it means making the play with the least possible chances of losing, even if the difference of losing between two plays is not great, it will impact your overall blackjack odds.

In most cases novice blackjack players will stand on a hard 12 if the dealer has a 2 through 6. This is done most likely because all of the other hard hands will stand against those dealer up cards.

But a hard 12 is a little bit different from the other stiff hands. When the dealer shows a 2 or a 3 you should hit.

Standing against a 2 or 3 with a hard 12 will cause you to lose 65% of the time and win 35% of the time. But if you were to hit against those two up cards, then you would have a 63% shot of losing and a 37% shot of winning.

Even though there is only a 2% difference, losing 63% of the time is better for your blackjack odds overall than losing 65% of the time. If you want to look at it in a more positive light then think of your blackjack odds in these terms: if you stand you will only win 35% of the time, and if you hit you will win 37% of the time.

Think of hitting a hard 12 against a 2 or 3 as a way of improving your blackjack odds on a stiff hand, even if it is only a little improvement—some is better than none.

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Why You Should Double Down

On 06.11.10, In Blackjack Rules, Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

A lot of the time novice blackjack players are nervous or hesitant about making a double down play in blackjack. It does not matter whether they are playing online blackjack or blackjack in a casino, they still get nervous about it.

The cause behind this is because the blackjack player has to put out more money, he has to double his wager. If he has wagered $10 on a hand and wants to double down, he has to increase his wager to $20. And not all novice blackjack players are comfortable with this right away.

But they need to become comfortable with this play because it can definitely benefit their blackjack odds. Doubling down in blackjack at opportune times can increase a player’s blackjack odds by 0.9%. That is quite the boost to one’s blackjack odds for one type of play.

The reason for this is because the player benefits when the house has to pay them for winning. When the house wins they do not receive a payout. Every time the house pays you, your blackjack odds go up. And if they have to pay you twice as much, it increases you odds even more.

But you only increase your blackjack odds with a double down if you are making the play at the most advantageous times. And when are those?

It all comes back to basic strategy. A basic strategy chart can tell you when the most opportune times to double down are. Usually it is when you have a 9, 10 or 11 as follows:

9 vs. dealer’s 3-6
10 vs. dealer’s 2-9
11 vs. dealer’s 2-10

If you are still learning your basic strategy, take a chart with you or have it open in a window next to the online casino’s window. Utilizing blackjack tips that go along with basic strategy can help increase your blackjack odds.

Make the most of your bankroll and increase you blackjack odds by knowing when to double down and making a double down when basic strategy tells you to.

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What a Dealer Hitting Soft 17 Means to You

On 06.04.10, In Blackjack Rules, Blackjack Strategy, Online Blackjack, By Vivi

In the majority of online blackjack games that a player would encounter will have the dealer standing on all 17 hands, regardless of whether there is an Ace in the hand or not. However there are some online blackjack games and some blackjack variations in which the dealer is allowed to hit on a soft 17.

On the surface, a dealer hitting on a soft 17 does not sound like too bad of a house rule. In theory a dealer who has to hit on a soft 17 because the house rule makes me would be more likely to bust. But that is why it is a theory.

In reality the dealer is actually less likely to bust overall. The reason for this is that Ace. The Ace that is a friend to a blackjack player can also hurt when the dealer can hit on a soft 17. The dealer can reduce an Ace from 11 to 1 just as a blackjack player can. And because of that, the dealer has the chance to rebuild his hand to a stronger one.

For example, if the dealer has an Ace/6 he would have to hit. Let’s say that he hits and gets an 8. The Ace has to be reduced to 1, and he now has a hard 15, which he hits. If he receives anything less than a 7 he is still in the game. And there are more cards less than 7 than there are greater than.

It is because of the dealer’s increased chances of rebuilding his hand to be a stronger one that the house’s rule of a dealer hitting a soft 17 increases the house’s edge by 0.2%. That is a decent sized increase to the house’s edge. Which is why you should avoid any online blackjack games that allow the dealer to hit on a soft 17.

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Playing First and Busting

On 05.28.10, In Blackjack Strategy, Online Blackjack, By Vivi

Like any casino game—does not matter if it is online or not—blackjack is constructed so that the house starts off with the edge. While the 3-2 payout helps to boost the player’s online blackjack odds, the game has two aspects that feed into the house’s edge more naturally than rules that favor the house.

Those two aspects are playing out your hand before the dealer and busting. And they can go hand in hand really.

Let’s look at an ordinary game of online blackjack. It is just you and the dealer. You are dealt your two cards and the dealer has an up card and a hole card. Once the cards are dealt you must play out your hand before the game can continue. There is no way around it.

I know, this seems so trivial. How can playing out your hand first impact your online blackjack odds?

Well, let’s say that you hit and hit again and wind up busting. At that point your wager, your money, belong to the house. And it does not matter whether or not the dealer busts. In fact, the dealer can bust when playing out its hand after you have already busted and your money will still be collected for the house.

And that is the disadvantage of playing out your hand first. And because you are playing first and could lose your money before the dealer plays out its hand, it is considered a disadvantage. Disadvantages are what lower the player’s blackjack odds, while advantages, such as doubling down, increase the player’s odds.

In a way you could consider playing first the trade-off to receiving 3-2 on a natural blackjack. But then that really is not that fair of a trade since you play first in every game while you do not receive a 3-2 payout in every game. And that is why playing first and busting feed into the house’s odds.

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Worst Blackjack Payout

On 05.21.10, In Blackjack Rules, Blackjack Strategy, By Vivi

Do you know what the worst blackjack payout is?

It is not the infamous 6-5 payout that everyone has heard of, which might surprise you. No, the worst blackjack payout is actual a lot more common than the 6-5 payout. It is also more abundant than the 6-5 payout because it is found in blackjack variations, which are found in brick and mortar casinos as well as in online blackjack games.

So what is the worst blackjack payout? It is an even money payout, also known as a 1-1 payout.

The reason for this goes hand in hand with you receiving less money and your blackjack odds. On the surface just being paid less money for a natural blackjack is bad enough. After all it is the highest hand in the game and an instant win. It just feels like such a letdown to be dealt a natural blackjack and then only get a tiny payout.

But the amount of your payout is only part of why an even money payout is so bad for you. The other reason is that it hurts your blackjack odds. And more than a little.

Just playing in a game of blackjack with an even money payout will reduce your blackjack odds by 2.27%.

The reason for such a big hit to your odds is because of how much drastically smaller your winning payout is. Your blackjack odds are based on your opportunity for making money off of the game. When the opportunities, such as rules and payouts, are in your favor to make more money, your blackjack odds go up.

But when the opportunities favor the dealer then your blackjack odds go down because you have fewer chances to make money. And this is the case with an even money payout. It hurts your blackjack odds so much because it reduces the amount of money you are have a chance to make.

With your blackjack odds and your bankroll being hit so hard it makes an even money payout the worst payout in blackjack.

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